1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data or information storage and retrieval. More particularly the present invention relates to a novel business or calling card, which, while having the outward appearance of a normal business card, is a source of data storage which serves not only as an introduction of one business individual to another but is in fact a highly transportable source of company information extended from one company to another company in furtherance of a business relationship between the two companies. The business or calling card includes a capability of storing encoded data thereon which may be read and decoded by an appropriate card reading device. The card reading device may be interfaced with a terminal having a monitor or cathode ray tube (CRT) which provides a visual readout of the decoded data for immediate use, for example and may include a data storage device for storing the data in an appropriate file or storage medium for later retrieve and/or use.
2. Prior Art
The use of business or calling cards in the intercourse of business is well established. Business cards and personal cards are printed in the countless numbers annually and are passed freely between people for business purposes and socially. Generically referred to as business cards, these cards generally include rather limited information on them. From the aspect of social use the limited information on the card such as name, address and telephone number is normally adequate but from the aspect of business it is often desired to place more information on the card than dictated by space and good taste.
In business it is usual to exhibit the name of the individual presenting the card along with the name of the company or other entity represented by such individual. Also appropriate is the address and telephone number of the company or where the individual named can be reached. It is a further business custom to include a title of the person presenting the card. Some cards also include a company logo and, in some instances, key words or phrases normally relating in some way to either the company represented by the individual or relating in some way to the individual himself. It is not unusual that an individual represents several companies too numerous to be listed on the limited space of business cards. There are occasions when an individual is associated with a particular company but the individual would prefer to limit the knowledge of such association from casual inspection. This requires that the person have two different cards.
A particular function of a business card is for purposes of recall. A person having a business card will very often present his card for purposes of introduction but intends that the receipant of the card retain the card for future reference, if and when a need should arise. A file of business cards is a convenient and efficient way of keeping a recall file, that is, the card is an objective reference to a particular individual. This method or system of recall is often beneficial to both the card donor and the card receipant. Thus, for this and other reasons, the normal business and/or calling card is made to be disposable yet not casually destructable.
Plastic credit, bank and/or identification cards have found wide spread use in commerce. The plastic card is a substantially non-destructable card, in that although it may be destroyed, the card normally takes substantial abuse. The plastic card also serves to support an encoding material or support a substrate such as a tape which is encodable, normally by magnetic means, with identifying data. The plastic card is not considered disposable in that the plastic card is used, retrieved and used again. Technology includes a card reader through which the plastic card is passed and the card reader reads the encoded data on the card. The data may include an identification number or other information encoded on to the card.